This Vietnamese chopper is rarely if ever available outside Vietnam, and I got some interested looks from airport security when my baggage went through the X-ray as Vietnamese Customs are very strict about knives. Fortunately I had no issues, which is why I can offer this uniquely Vietnamese knife today. I’ve seen these in use on the streets of Saigon and they whiz right through sides of beef effortlessly. Needless to say I was impressed by their performance. These definitely show Chinese influence in their design, although the socket handle is not something I have encountered in China. I have, however, seen socket handles around Southeast Asia (including the Philippines and Taiwan).

This knife measures in at 16.5″ overall.

The blade is 11 3/4″ long and nice and thick at 1/4″. The blade is 3 3/8″ wide at the tip end. The blade is also marked with a four-star stamp from the forge.

The socket handle is well-formed and doesn’t have any spots, as long as you are right handed. I’m left handed and feel the gap in the handle could cause a problem, although there are no sharp edges. The handle could always be wrapped with natural fiber or even an inner tube to make for a more comfortable grip. Socket handles in the Philippines and Taiwan are often covered that way.

The handle is 4 3/4″ long and is fine for my large hands. The balance point is 4″ in front of the handle, making this a weight-forward chopper. Nice and heavy at 2 lb 8.5 oz. $125.